If you see a red and green light equally low on the horizon that means your heading dead on into another vessels path and conversely if all you see is a white light low on the horizon it means you are overtaking another vessel power or sail we dont care because it is an overtaking situation.

Sailing vessel navigation lights. Basically in a nutshell all boats require navigation lights if youll be operating them between sunset and sunrise or whenever visibility is reduced. The following are examples of navigation lights. Sailing vessel seen from starboard side.

The stern light needs to visible across 135 degrees and from at least two miles away. Sailing vessels Operating under sails Sailing vessels Operating under motor power Vessels engaged in fishing. Sailing vessels less than 7 metres in length do not need to display lights but must have to hand a white torch light to use to prevent collision.

If the length of tow exceeds 200m then they display three all round white lights. Other Rules of the Road. White stern light Sailing vessels less than 20 metres in length may use a combination mast top tri-color light in place of the standard red and green side lights and white stern light.

Navigation Lights Sailboat Tri-color. Know that yellow lights are NOT used to identify a seaplane on the water. Sailing vessels less than 20 meters in length may use a combination mast top tri-color light in place of the standard red and green sidelights and white stern light.

Rule 25 Sailing Vessels Underway and vessels Under oars a What a sailing vessel underway should exhibit b What a sailing vessel of less than 20 metres in length c Additional lights that may be shown by sailing vessels d What sailing vessels of less than 7 metres in length and vessels under oars shall show. Sailing vessels underway that are larger than 20 meters will likely have a different set of lights on display but the difference is huge. Red and green side lights.

Key Navigation Lights and Shapes. When sailing the vessel has to display red and green side lights and a white stern light. Rule 26 Fishing Vessels.